The Lion in Winter (1968) AVCO Embassy Pictures/Drama RT: 134 minutes Rated PG (some language, violence, sexual references) Director: Anthony Harvey Screenwriter: James Goldman Music: John Barry Cinematography: Douglas Slocombe Release date: October 30, 1968 (US) Cast: Peter O’Toole, Katharine Hepburn, Anthony Hopkins, John Castle, Nigel Terry, Timothy Dalton, Jane Merrow, Nigel Stock. Box Office: $22.2 million (US) Rating: **** (four stars)
One of my all-time favorite films! The Lion in Winter illustrates the kind of cinematic perfection rarely seen in films anymore.
I first saw it in a film class I took at community college when I was a lad of eighteen. I didn’t get to see the whole thing because the class ended before the movie and the professor didn’t like watching films over the course of two class periods. I liked what I saw a lot and eventually got my hands on a copy. I’ve watched it several times over the years and it never ceases to amaze me how perfectly it all comes together. I’m especially impressed with the acting.
Peter O’Toole (Lawrence of Arabia) plays King Henry II and let me tell you, this lion sure does roar! The ferociousness with which he attacks the role is evenly matched by Katharine Hepburn (On Golden Pond) as Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine, a tiger whose wit is as sharp as her claws. Together, they make quite the volatile pair. Is it any wonder that both actors were nominated for Oscars that year?* In fact, The Lion in Winter was nominated for seven Academy Awards; it won for Actress, Adapted Screenplay (Goldman) and Score (Barry). Of course, the acting is just one part of the whole. The Lion in Winter excels in virtually every way.
Set in 1183, Henry has decided to hold Christmas court at his castle in Chinon, located in France and part of the king’s vast empire. He keeps Eleanor imprisoned at Windsor Castle, mainly so he can be with his much-younger mistress Alais (Merrow), but decides to release her for the holiday. Alais is the half-sister of French king Philip II (Dalton, The Living Daylights). She’s supposed to marry the future heir to Henry’s throne, whoever that may be. Henry favors youngest son John (Terry, Excalibur), a dull-witted lad who clearly isn’t mature or smart enough to take on such a responsibility. Eleanor wants to see their oldest son Richard (Hopkins, The Silence of the Lambs) ascend the throne as he’s a superb warrior. Then there’s middle brother Geoffrey (Castle, RoboCop 3), a schemer with his own agenda. The action takes place over the course of a single day, Christmas Eve. This bunch gives new meaning to the term “dysfunctional” as they plan and plot against each other. This family definitely has its issues- sodomy, homosexuality, incest and treason, to name but a few. But, as Eleanor sarcastically points out, “What family doesn’t have its ups and downs?”
The set design in The Lion in Winter is nothing short of magnificent. You can almost feel the cold, drafty corridors and rooms of the castle. Director Anthony Harvey (They Might Be Giants) isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty in depicting medieval times in a realistic fashion. The clothes that Henry wears are far from regal, you just know they stink with sweat and filth. The courtyard is overrun with chickens while dogs hang around the dining hall. When you think about it, there really wasn’t all that much difference between the king and his peasant subjects. For example, the first thing Henry does each morning is break the layer of ice in his washing bowl. By the way he does it, you see that this is an automatic action, something that he’s quite used to. He doesn’t have it any better than his subjects.
Goldman’s script, an adaptation of his own play, is top-notch. He retains the sharp and witty dialogue which flies like venom from the mouths of the characters. Hepburn does a particularly great job with her lines. O’Toole may roar loudly, but she gets in her jabs.
The Lion in Winter also teems with intrigue; one almost needs a scorecard to keep track of who’s doing what to whom. Harvey’s virtuoso handling of the action is a definite plus. He adds a few cinematic touches- e.g. a jousting match, a battle scene- but mainly keeps it confined within the space of the castle. The scene in which the three brothers hide behind tapestries in Philip’s quarters during a meeting with Henry is a particular stand-out. It’s really nice to see an intelligent script handled intelligently. The Lion in Winter also has a great deal of wit, particularly in the exchanges between Henry and Eleanor. Their marriage is a constant battle of wits, a never-ending game of one-upmanship. O’Toole and Hepburn work amazingly well with and against each other. It goes without saying that O’Toole’s performance is incredible. That the actor didn’t win an Oscar for this movie is both a crime and a mystery. The Lion in Winter is one of the most deliciously entertaining “serious films” that I’ve ever seen. It brings history to brilliant life. This is filmmaking at its absolute zenith. A total must-see for anybody claiming to be a movie lover.
*Hepburn took home the golden statuette (she actually tied with Barbara Streisand for Funny Girl) while O’Toole was snubbed in favor of Cliff Robertson for Charly.
